Strike force to probe ‘genital mutilation’ doctor

Strike force to probe ‘genital mutilation’ doctor

Police have set up a strike force to investigate allegations a former New South Wales doctor sexually abused women and mutilated their genitals during operations.

Medical authorities and police are investigating hundreds of complaints against the ex-doctor, Graeme Reeves.

Mr Reeves was banned from practicing obstetrics in 1997 but continued to do so at two hospitals in Pambula and Bega, on the state’s south coast.

He went before the Medical Board over the breaches and was de-registered in 2004.

Strike Force Tarella will liase with the NSW Medical Board and the Health Care Complaints Commission.

Police are urging those who believe they might be the victim of a criminal offence in relation to the investigation to contact the strike force or crime stoppers.

‘Govt shifting blame’

The NSW Opposition says the Health Minister Reba Meagher is trying to blame the Medical Board for allowing Mr Reeves to practice.

Its health spokeswoman, Jillian Skinner, says Ms Meagher has refused to take responsibility for ensuring the appropriate background checks were done before the doctor was employed at the hospitals.

“I don’t know how anyone could ever believe Reba Meagher,” she said.

“If she says she can’t explain how this doctor was able to mutilate patients in her public hospitals, how could the public have any confidence in her claim that things have improved?”

Yesterday, local Liberal MP Andrew Constance said he first raised the matter last year.

“The Government will fail these women if there is not some form of inquest or for that matter royal commission into how a doctor who’d been struck off for obstetrics was employed as a gynaecologist, then commenced practicing obstetrics in a public hospital,” he said.